Platonic Cuddling
by Jane Keybored
Summary: When Korra crashes at the guys' place, it keeps Mako up at night. Oneshot.


I do not own The Legend of Korra

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**A/N: **Eh... Not really canon, but it nearly fits. Speculative fiction/AU, sprung from a yearning for a Bolin/Korra best-friendship, and Mako's moodiness.

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Mako hated it when she spent the night.

It was late, so late that even the rumbling street noises had melted into an eerie quiet. And Mako was exhausted. They all were. Bending practice had really taken its toll on the three of them; not to mention they'd been practicing full-throttle for days. The tournament was nearing and he'd been pushing his team to the brink. But tonight, instead of the sweet escape of sleep, he lay awake, imprisoned in his mind.

From the bed beside him came the whispered movement of blankets as someone rolled over in their sleep. Mako swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the sounds and push away his racing thoughts.

She was there, right there. A few feet away, rustling and sleeping and turning over and breathing. The Avatar herself, in all of her headstrong splendor, asleep in the bed beside his.

Mako couldn't help himself anymore. Convinced of the slumber of the two co-habitants, he turned to his side. His better judgement told him not to look, but he didn't have the self-control. Just as he knew would happen, one glance at his brother's bed drowned him immediately in the sweeping undertow of bitterness.

There she was, so close to him, but infinitely closer to _Bolin_. Mako could only see her back, relaxed under her street clothes, rising and falling slowly with each breath. She blocked his view of Bolin, but the earthbender's arm was visible, stretched out beneath her head, limp with exhaustion. Bolin and Korra slept facing each other, perfectly content in sleephood, while Mako stared on, resentful.

He remembered the first time she'd stayed, weeks now in the past, as well as the first time she'd moved into Bolin's bed. Her voice strained to be quiet, calling out to Bolin a half-hour after lights-out.

_"Bo… Bolin."_

_"Yeah, Korra?"_ Bolin whispered back.

_"I'm cold,"_ she'd told him.

Mako had shifted uncomfortably in the dark, worried about how his brother would respond.

Presently, Mako had to laugh at himself, remembering how Bolin did respond. It wasn't with offering a sweater, or digging out an extra blanket (options Mako had run through his own mind to mentally solve Bolin's problem). No, leave it to Bolin to con the Avatar into bed with him.

_"Well..."_ Bolin's whispered words had grated through the air. _"You can climb in with me."_

_"What, like, under the covers?"_ came Korra's hushed reply.

_"Yeah. I'm not gonna try anything, Korra."_

Mako didn't miss the teasing in Bolin's tone. Mako had to admit, his brother was clever.

_"You'd better not. I'll kick your ass."_

Mako heard the smile in Korra's voice as well, and nearly jumped from his bed when he realized what the swish and shuffle of blankets meant. It took everything in him to keep still, drawing silent breaths in order to hear every move his brother and Korra made in the dark.

_"Wow, you're warm."_

More shuffling.

_"Better?"_

_"Better."_

_"'Night, Korra."_

_"'Night, Bolin."_

Mako had drowned immediately in his envy. He was still jealous now, watching Korra draw relaxed breaths as she rested on Bolin's arm, even though he knew they weren't_ together._ Korra spent many nights at the brothers' flat, and she often slept in Bolin's bed with him—unless he brought a girl home.

Mako _hated_ it. They weren't lovers. Bolin had other girls. Meaningless girls. Girls that could never compare to Korra—that Mako couldn't believe Bolin would entertain in her presence. But those nights, when Bolin did bring a fangirl home, the most Korra expressed was mild annoyance at being kicked out of her spot. Instead, she'd sleep on the couch (with plenty of extra blankets), then hound Bolin in the morning to wash the sheets. No heartache, no jealousy.

Mako had his own girl, too. Asami. Beautiful, sweet, generous. Still, it wasn't fair. Mako may have no claim to the Avatar, but neither did Bolin. Yet Korra chose _Bolin_ to buddy-up to, to cuddle-up to. Bolin had it good. Easy charm, easy ladies, and an easy friendship with Korra.

Tonight, they'd practiced 'til midnight, flinging discs and fire and water, sweating, lifting, conditioning. The later it got, the more fuel was added to Mako's fire. Each passing minute signaled the likelihood that she would be intruding on his sleeptime again. When they all finally decided to turn in, Korra didn't even feel the need to invite herself. She just followed them up, and collapsed fully clothed onto Bolin's mattress.

Bolin had changed into a clean undershirt, bid Mako a "g'night, bro," then elbowed his way into his own bed.

Mako had done his best to keep Korra from knowing how he really felt about her. Bolin suspected, he was sure, but that didn't change the fact that he let Korra cuddle up with him every night. And each time she stayed, Mako stuffed more of his romantic feelings away, down into the pit of his stomach, to set fire to later on. If his secret admiration was discovered now, he'd only look like a fool, pining for the Avatar, the girl that slept with his brother every night.

That was the worst part. Bolin and Korra were so comfortable with their friendship they could share a bed. But Mako... It was obvious she was _uncertain_ about him.

All because of the stupid way he acted when he first met her. Not the best first impression to make. She probably hadn't forgiven him yet for treating her, _The Avatar,_ like a fangirl. How stupid he must have looked to her, ignoring each friendly attempt she made at conversation, her genuine compliments. _"Oh, you're still here?"_ The arrogant remark still rang in his ears, burning regretfully in his chest.

Mako's eyes bored into her back. Korra shuffled again, turning over sleepily and now facing him. Sometimes she and Bolin whined and scuffled in their sleep, like brother and sister fighting for extra blankets and more bed. Other times they snugged together affectionately, like a two-dog pack. Or there were times like this, with Bolin spooned up to Korra, with one hand thrown lazily over her stomach, the other pillowing her head, so that they looked like lovers.

Mako's chest tightened as if a python-vole was squeezing his heart. If she opened her eyes, she'd find him appreciating the smooth curves of her face. She banished femininity in her waking hours, but in the deep slack of sleep Mako could openly explore her girlish features. Even in dreams, the gentle arch of her eyebrows creased, as if she still carried the burden of being the Avatar subconsciously. He wished he could protect her from her worries, to sweep his arm through her thoughts and scatter them like leaves in the wind.

"Nnn..." Her lips had the smallest pout about them, not quite sealed and allowing for the irritated murmur to squeeze gently through. Then Bolin's arm flowed over her waist from behind, assuring her and soothing her in a way that Mako was unable.

Spirits, he hated when she spent the night! There would not be a moment's peace in the silence. The quiet amplified every little breath, every shift between the sheets, every sleepy sigh. Mako needed rest; his bones and flesh begged for respite, but his mind incessantly assaulted him with cruel fantasies. Even though he knew it wasn't true, each sigh from Korra was a satisfied murmur in Bolin's arms, each movement from their bed a lover's caress.

Mako would accept platonic cuddling; at least it would mean that she thought of him as a friend—a best friend—on the same level as Bolin. But what he really wanted was to hold her, nuzzle the nape of her neck as he cradled her, not to lazily drape his arm over her, but cup her stomach possessively, stroke her hips, all of it. But that wasn't in the cards for him. Not so long as Korra preferred the companionship of an Earthbender over a Firebender on a cold night.


End file.
